such was the name by which he was known through all the country, saw the
two daughters and determined to have one of them for his wife. So he
proposed to the mother for one, but left it to her to decide which of
the daughters she would give him.

Neither of the daughters was willing to marry him, for neither could
make up her mind to live all her life with such a hideous blue beard,
however rich the owner might be. Moreover, they had heard, and the
report was true, that the man had been married several times before, and
no one knew what had become of his wives.

In order to become better acquainted with the women, Bluebeard invited
them and their mother to visit him at one of his castles in the country.
They accepted the invitation, and for nine delightful days they hunted
and fished over his vast estates, and for nine wonderful evenings they
feasted and danced in his magnificent rooms.

Everything went so much to their liking, and Bluebeard himself was so
gracious, that the younger girl began to think that after all his beard
was not so very blue; and so, soon after their return to town, the
mother announced that the younger daughter was ready to marry him. In a
few days the ceremony was performed, and Bluebeard took his wife to one
of his castles, where they spent a happy month.

At the end of that time Bluebeard told his wife that he was obliged to
make a long journey and would be away from home about six weeks. He
added that he hoped his wife would enjoy herself, and that he wished her
to send for her friends if she wanted them, and to spend his money as
freely as she liked in their entertainment.